State Auditor Joe Chrisman told the committee UW schools have 74 affiliated organizations. The committee gave state auditors permission to decide which ones to analyze more fully and what the reviews will cover.

UW regents have filed a lawsuit accusing former UW-Oshkosh officials of concealing millions of dollars in improper financial transactions to that school’s nonprofit foundation for construction projects.

University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross said he hoped legislators realize that allegations former UW-Oshkosh officials improperly transferred millions to the school’s nonprofit foundation was an anomaly when they consider the system’s budget.

The regents filed a lawsuit in January alleging former UW-Oshkosh officials concealed the transfers, amounting to theft. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald warned Thursday that UW schools’ relationships with private foundations could impact how much state aid the system receives in the budget.

Cross told the Legislature’s audit committee Thursday that system officials launched an extensive review of schools’ transactions with their foundation after they learned of the Oshkosh situation and haven’t found any broad problems approaching what happened at Oshkosh.

He told reporters outside the committee meeting that he hopes Fitzgerald won’t withhold aid over the situation. He says he hopes legislators realize the transfers were an anomaly and an abnormal situation and the system too very direct steps to deal with it.